Snap-lock quick-detachable pick-up finger unit for harvester reels



July 30, 1968 R. w. KEENE 3,394,537

SNAP-LOCK QUICK-DETACHABLE PICK-UP FINGER UNIT FOR HARVESTER HEELS Filed March 21, 1968 F1913 z F1 14 1 P 6- 11 I 7 I I 9 10 9a 12 I2 I f 13 3 8 8 [4a 8a "a 3 [4 8d INVENTOR. Ralph W. Keene BY tau-mama ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,394 537 SNAP-LOCK QUICK-DIiTACHABLE PICK-UP FINGER UNIT FOR HARVESTER REELS Ralph W. Keene, 1102 Benjamin Holt Drive,

- Stockton, Calif. 95207 Filed Mar. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 535,788 8 Claims. (Cl. 56-400) This invention relates in general to a pick-up finger unit for harvester reels, and in particular represents improvements over the structure shown in United States Patent No. 2,608,045.

In the above identified patent, the pick-up finger units were of dual-tine type and each unit included and was removably held in place by a device which was permanently attached to the bat-bar of the reel. In addition, engagement and disengagement of such device from the finger unit required the use of a properly manipulated hand tool suitable for the purpose. Also, with the use of such device, the finger units could not be adjusted along the batbar to provide different spacing as working conditions might require.

It is the major object of this invention to provide a dualtine pick-up finger unit which can be readily and conveniently snap-locked in any selected position on, and subsequently quick-detached from, the bat-bar of a harvester reel; such operations being easily accomplished by hand and without the use of any tool.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a dual-tine pick-up finger unit in which the device employed to snap-lock the finger unit in place, while permitting of quick-detachment of said finger unit, connects only between parts of such unit and does not require attachment to the bat-bar.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a dual-tine pick-up finger unit wherein there is no requirement for adjustment of the snap-lock device, or any other part of the finger unit, in order for such unit to be applied to or removed from the bat-bar, or to function as intended.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a dual-tine pick-up-finger unit whichwhen in.place on a bat-bar is held in a firm or stable position and so that displacement of such unit does not occur by reason of the spring action of the tines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snaplock quick-detachable pick-up finger unit for harvester reels which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable snap-lock quick-detachable pick-up finger unit for harvester reels and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary back-side elevation of a harvester reel batbar showing a pick-up finger unit mounted thereon; the snap-lock device being shown in a locked position.

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the snap-lock device in a released position.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, and particularly at present to the form of the invention illustrated at present to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the harvester reel bat-bar 1 is conventional and includes a rigid circular metal rod 2 extending along and suitab'ly secured to the upper edge of said bat-bar.

3,394,537 Patented July 30, 1968 The dual-tine pick-up finger unit is indicated generally at 3 and includes a pair of depending, transversely spaced spring tines 4. The upper portions of the tines 4 comprise shanks 5 disposed against the forward face of the batbar 1; each such shank having a rearwardly extending, downwardly opening hook 6 on its upper end engaging in matching and close-gripping relation over the rod 2.

An integral connecting rod 7 extends between the lower ends of the hooks on the back side of the bat-bar 1 so as to maintain the two spring tines4 and their shanks 5 in their predetermined unitary relation.

Laterally open coil springs '8 are formed in integral relation bet-ween the corresponding tines 4 and shanks 5; said coil springs projecting rearwardly and occupying a position directly under the bat-bar 1 when the hooks 6 are tightly engaged over the rod 2.

The initially separate (and in use quick-detachable) snap-lock mounting device of the finger unit 3 is indicated generally at 9. Such device comprises-at its upper enda downwardly opening hook 10 which engages from the front over the central portion 11 of the connecting rod 7; said portion 11 being rearwardly offset from the rod 7 sufiicient to allow of relatively free engagement and turning of the hook on said rod portion.

A pair of spring arms 12 depend from the forward side of the hook 10 in transversely spaced, diverging relation; said arms at their lower ends being bent to form short substantially parallel portions 13 which engage flatly against the laterally outermost faces of the coil springs 8, as shown in FIG. 1.

At their lower ends the arm portions 13 terminate in short catch fingers 14 extending toward each other and projecting through the central openings of the springs 8 from the outer side of the latter. See FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the above described pick-up finger unit the tines 4 tend to spread or spring apart in a direction lengthwise of the bat-bar 1, while the spring arms 12 initially position the catch fingers 14 with less transverse spacing than the coil springs 8. See FIG. 3. Thus, the tines 4 must be pressed toward each other somewhat and the spring arms 12 spread apart slightly before the catch fingers 14 can be projected through the springs 8 from the outer side thereof. With the parts so engaged, the tines 4 are prevented from any spreading movement, while the spring arms 12 maintain the catch fingers 14- in the coil springs 8. Consequently, the finger unit 3 is rigidly held against loss from the bat-bar 1 and without likelihood of shifting movement of said unit along the bat-bar. At the same time it is easy to manually release the snap-lock device 9; this being accomplished simply by the exertion of suitable pressure against the tines 4 and arms 12 in the proper directions. Thereafter, by rotating the device 9 a part turn, the hook 10 can be disengaged from portion 11 of rod 7 and such device removed.

When the snap-lock device 9 has been so removed therefrom, the finger unit 3 may be easily detached from the bat-bar 1 by first swinging said unit about the rod 2 as an axis sufficient to move the springs 8 from under the bat-bar, and then lifting the hooks 6 from the rod 2.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 4, the construction of the finger unit 3a is the same as that of the unit 3 previously described, except that in this case the tines 4a tend to spring toward a normal substantially parallel position. Additionally, the arms 12a of the snaplock device 9a tend to spring apart and the catch fingers 14a on the lower ends of said arms 12a face away from each other so as to enter the openings in the springs 8a from the inner or adjacent sides thereof as shown.

In both cases, the diameter of the coil springs 8 and 8a is such that the catch fingers 14 and 14a engage against the rear portion of the radially inner faces of said coil 3 springs; the arms 12 and 12a then lying very close to the bat-bar 1 whereby to prevent any to and fro motion of the finger unit on said bat-bar.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a snap-lock quickdetachable pick-up finger unit for harvester reels as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the snap-lock quick-detachable pick-up finger unit for harvester reels, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A snap-lock quick-detachable pick-up finger unit, for a harvester reel bat-bar, comprising a pair of transversely spaced tines having shanks projecting upwardly therefrom, hooks on the upper ends of the shanks to removably engage over the upper edge of the bat-bar with the shanks against one face thereof, integral coil springs between the tines and shanks positioned to project closely under the bat-bar when the hooks are so engaged, an integral connecting rod between the ends of the hooks opposite the shanks, and a snap-lock mounting device spanning the outer face of the bat-bar and connecting said rod and said coil springs in quick-detachable relation to at least one thereof.

2. A pick-up finger unit, as in claim 1, in which the snap-lock device includes a member engaged with said connecting rod, and catch means integral with such member yieldably engaging in the openings of the coil springs.

3. A pick-up finger unit, as in claim 1, in which the snap-lock device includes a hook engaged over said connecting rod, diverging spring arms depending from said hook, and catch fingers projecting from the lower ends of the spring arms and engaging in the openings of the coil springs.

4. A pick-up finger unit, as in claim 3-, in which the connecting rod includes an outwardly offset portion, and said hook being initially separate and removably engaged over such offset portion from the inner side thereof.

5. A pick-up finger unit, as in claim 3, in which the spring arms are arranged to yieldably resist movement of the catch fingers away from the coil springs.

6. A pick-up finger unit, as in claim 3, in which the spring arms are arranged to yieldably resist movement of thecatch fingers away from the coil springs; the tines of the finger unit being of spring metal and arranged, together with the coil springs, to yieldably resist movement in a direction opposite that of the catch fingers.

7. A pick-up finger unit, as in claim 3, in which the spring arms have lower end portions adapted to abut against the laterally outer faces of the coil springs; the catch fingers being on the lower ends of said arm portions, and the arms yieldably pressing such portions against said outer faces of the coil springs.

8. A snap-lock quick-detachable pick-up finger unit for a harvester reel bat-bar having a circular metal rod along its upper edge, comprising a pair of transversely spaced spring tines having shanks projecting upwardly therefrom to lie against the front surface of the bat-bar, downwardly opening rearwardly extending hooks on the upper ends of the shanks, the hooks being shaped to matchingly engage over and closely frictionally grip said metal rod,'integral laterally opening coil springs between the tines and shanks positioned to project closely under the bat-bar when the hooks are so engaged, an integral connecting rod between the rear lower ends of the hooks, said connecting rod having a rearwardly offset portion, an initially separate hook removably and turnably engaging over such offset portion from the front thereof, transversely spaced spring artms integral with and depending from said hook close to the back surface of the batbar, and laterally projecting catch fingers on the lower ends of the spring arms, the latter providing means normally but yieldably holding the catch fingers in the openings of the coil springs and together with said catch fingers and hook, connecting said coil springs and the rearwardly off-set portion of said rod to detachably mount the pick-up finger unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,226 1/1901 Johnston 56-400 671,228 4/1901 MacPhail 56-400 2,075,220 3/1937 Neuhausen 56-40017 2,482,883 9/1949 Thomas 56-400 2,608,045 8/1952 Keene 56-400 2,764,163 9/1956 Thys -30 3,026,667 3/1962 Morrison et al. 56-400 3,099,347 7/1963 Dahlquist 56-400 3,148,494 9/1964 Scheidenhelm 56-400 ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SNAP-LOCK QUICK-DETACHABLE PICK-UP FINGER UNIT, FOR A HARVESTER REEL BAT-BAR, COMPRISING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED TINES HAVING SHANKS PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, HOOK ON THE UPPER ENDS OF THE SHANKS TO REMOVABLY ENGAGE OVER THE UPPER EDGE OF THE BAT-BAR WITH THE SHANKS AGAINST ONE FACE THEREOF, INTEGRAL COIL SPRINGS BETWEEN THE TINES AND SHANKS POSITIONED TO PROJECT CLOSELY UNDER THE BAT-BAR WHEN THE HOOKS ARE SO ENGAGED, AN INTEGRAL CONNECTING ROD BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE HOOKS OPPOSITE THE SHANKS, AND A SNAP-LOCK MOUNTING DEVICE SPANNING THE OUTER FACE OF THE BAT-BAR AND CONNECTING SAID ROD AND SAID COIL SPRINGS IN QUICK-DETACHABLE RELATION TO AT LEAST ONE THEREOF. 